Police today (07) arrested 30 foreign nationals who had allegedly escaped from the Welisara Detention Centre and engaged in illegal online financial fraud operations.The Mount Lavinia Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau stated that the suspects were arrested while staying in a rented building in the 10th Mile Post area of Boralesgamuwa.

Police said the suspects included 21 Chinese nationals, among them two young women, as well as nine Vietnamese nationals including one young woman.Police also took into custody 10 computers, 29 Apple mobile phones, internet communication devices and several other items of equipment found in the possession of the suspects

On 2 April, officers of the Criminal Investigation Department had arrested 152 foreign nationals over a similar offence, and the 30 suspects arrested today had also been among that group.

However, while being detained at the Welisara Detention Centre under court orders, the suspects had allegedly escaped custody and were later re-arrested in this operation.

The raid was carried out following information received by Chief Inspector Gamage, Officer-in-Charge of the Mount Lavinia Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the suspects had rented the upper floor of a two-storey building in the Boralesgamuwa area at a monthly rental of Rs. 1.5 million and had been operating the illegal scheme from there.

Initial questioning conducted with the assistance of an interpreter revealed that the suspects had arrived at the location only a few days earlier.

Police further stated that none of the arrested foreign nationals possessed visas or passports.

Further investigations are being conducted by the Mount Lavinia Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau.